Sun & Moon
by Warrior-Maid-of-the-Shadows
Summary: A week into his banishment, Zuko meets another firebender who just might be more akin to him than he thought.


_**Hey everyone. This is just a one-shot I wrote a year or so back. Seeing as I only have Avengers stories right now I thought I'd throw this in for a little variety. I may or may not continue Xatia's story, just depending on what I feel like doing and how well this is received. Anyway, I hope you enjoy. Reviews are always appreciated.**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender. It would be nice, though...**_

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Zuko couldn't tell why but he felt as if someone was watching him. Uncle was out looking for firewood and probably wouldn't be back for a couple of minutes, so what was making him jumpy? There was no one around for miles. He glanced around, silently cursing the bandage around his left eye, in search of the source of his discomfort. It had been a week since his banishment and he didn't think he would ever get used to the eye patch.

Then, exactly where nothing had been before, were two eyes. The left one amber, the right gray. They watched him closely, tracking his every move. He didn't like the curiosity behind them, the intelligence that marked it as something more than animal. He watched out of the corner of his good eye as they looked him up and down.

"What are you looking at?"

His uncle's voice made him jump in surprise. He glanced back to the eyes but they were gone.

"I thought I saw...never mind."

Iroh followed Zuko's gaze, "You should rest, Prince Zuko. A man needs his rest, especially after a fight."

"I wasn't in a fight," he replied bitterly, but sat down beside the new fire anyway.

He closed his eye, leaning against a tree trunk, as Uncle walked off once more. A few minutes later, he heard footsteps. Then someone rummaging in the bags that held their supplies. He opened his eyes to see a girl leaned over their bags, searching quickly through the items.

She was thin and tall, but couldn't have been older than he. She wore light gray loose-fitting pants, a long-sleeved black shirt, a leather belt around her waist and thin shoes. Dark curls cascaded down to the small of her back, making her pale skin more pronounced.

"Don't you know that stealing is against the law?" he asked.

She stopped, "Only if you get caught, which I'm not." -she stood and turned to face him, revealing a gaunt face and a thin scar spanning from the top of her gray eye to just below the corner of her lip- "Besides, a prince can get new provisions. I can't."

He stared at her, for both her mismatched eyes and her knowledge of his status. He fought his surprise and stood, ready to fight.

"Give me back what you're stealing and I'll forget you were here."

She tied the bag to her belt and crossed her arms, "Make me. Prince."

She spat the last word out as if it was the most revolting word she knew. Zuko hesitated, shocked at her response. No peasant had refused him before. And he wasn't about to let them start. He felt the anger of the past week flare; he had been yelled at, burned, scorned, cast out and given an almost impossible task. Now some nobody was stealing from him and refused to return his belongings? That was the last straw.

He shot flames at her, yelling in anger at her insubordination. Her eyes widened, but she threw them off course with the flick of her wrist. The trees next to her caught fire quickly, sending up dark smoke.

"You're a firebender?" he couldn't keep the surprise out of his voice.

What was another firebender doing out in the middle of the earth kingdom? She didn't answer, but sent flares in return. He leapt out of the way just in time and fought back. As they fought, he analyzed her moves to see what he could learn.

It was obvious that she hadn't been trained properly. Her form was sloppy and improvised, looking more like a mix of different styles. Her blows were also weak, ill-timed, and lacked conviction as if she didn't want to fight him. She was slowing, her actions betraying her weariness.

Seeing an opening, he feinted an attack to the right and sent a bombardment of flames at her. Two balls of fire just barely missed her face, one grazed the side of her shirt and one hit flew straight into her calf. She inhaled sharply and fell gracelessly to the ground.

"Alright," she said through gritted teeth. "You win."

She untied the bag with one hand and tossed it to him. Watching her as she pulled out some leaves from another pouch at her belt, Zuko realized just how emaciated she was. The girl looked as if she hadn't eaten a decent meal in years.

"If you're going to kill me, get it over with," she sighed. "Preferably before I waste the herbs."

Before he could reply, his uncle came running through the trees.

"Zuko! What is-" he caught sight of the girl. "Oh."

"I caught this thief stealing our supplies."

"'This thief' has a name," she rolled her eyes.

He ignored her, "What should we do with her?"

His uncle watched the girl for a minute, examining everything he could, "Make some tea and bandage her leg. Guests should not be attacked."

He stared at his uncle, "She was stealing our food."

"I was stealing your weapons and tools, blue blood," she clarified. "You could have lived without them."

"Blue blood?" he asked as Uncle dug around in the bags for a salve and possibly tea leaves.

"Royalty."

"Why would royalty have blue blood?"

She shrugged, "How should I know? It's just another name for nobles."

"Found it!" both turned to look at Iroh who held up a handful of green tea leaves.

The girl went back to examining her leg, cutting through the fabric with a knife from her belt. She grimaced, gritting her teeth, as she pulled of some pieces of dead skin from the wound and rubbed a mix of what looked like chewed-up herbs onto it. Zuko winced at the memory of how painful it was when the medics in the palace had dressed his burn. He wondered how strong-willed the girl must be, for he couldn't have cleaned the wound himself.

"You wouldn't happen to have any clean bandages, would you?" she asked pulling out filthy rags. "Mine are no good now."

She tossed the cloths into the fire as Uncle brought some clean wrapping. He kneeled down to dress her wound but she stopped him.

"I can take care of it myself," she smiled, taking the bandages from him.

"Sometimes, it is good to have someone to help you when needed."

He took the bandages back and started wrapping her calf. She winced and looked directly at Zuko to avoid thinking about the pain.

"You're a long way from the palace," she said casually. "What are you doing so far from home?"

"I could ask you the same question."

She laughed, "My home was a colony not too far from here. Burned down five years ago. You're looking at the sole survivor."

"Loss of loved ones is the worst pain anyone can feel," Uncle spoke up.

"You've lost part of your family?"

"A son. He died at war."

Her eyes darkened, "I'm sorry for your loss."

"And I yours."

Zuko watched the two with a mix of confusion and surprise. Uncle didn't like to speak about Lu Ten; it brought up too many sad memories. Yet he spoke to the girl about it as if he knew her.

"So what are the crowned prince and the Dragon of the West doing so far from Fire Nation borders?"

"Traveling," he answered shortly before his Uncle could open his mouth.

She stared at him in disbelief, her gold and silver eyes making him wish he could disappear.

"We seem to be at a disadvantage," Uncle chuckled. "You know us but we don't know you."

"Oh, sorry. I'm Xatia," she half-smiled ruefully. "Fitting name, isn't it?"

Zuko's pity for the girl grew. She had lost her home and now lived like a criminal. She was naturally beautiful but had obtained a long scar that dominated half of her face, making it almost impossible to look beyond it. And what did the world do but taunt her with a name that was impossible to live up to. Flawless. Zuko couldn't imagine what it must be like to be mocked by your own name.

"Fate has a funny way of helping us find our way through life."

She raised her eyebrows, "You sound like my grandmother. She always used to say things I couldn't understand at the time, but would make sense later."

Uncle laughed, "She must have been very wise."

The girl, Xatia, smiled in return, making Zuko feel as if he didn't belong. She stood up slowly, using the tree to pull herself up, and half-hopped closer to the fire.

"What's wrong, royal? You haven't said a word since I told you my name."

"Just tired," he lied.

She glanced at the darkening sky, "We should forget about the tea and put out the fire before we attract unwanted attention."

"More?" he asked sarcastically.

"Zuko!"

"Alright, sorry."

She looked at him as if he didn't understand something obvious, "This isn't your palace, the forest is dangerous at night. There are too many ways to die out here and, personally, I don't want to eaten in my sleep."

"Eaten?"

She raised her eyebrows, "You think you're the only meat-eater out here? Use your head or you'll be dead by tomorrow."

She stumbled back to the tree and clambered up the trunk to a branch twelve feet in the air. Uncle put out the fire and darkness enveloped the trio. Zuko stared up at the stars, knowing he wouldn't be able to fall asleep for hours. He hadn't been sleeping well since the banishment. His almost perfect world had shattered with a single wrong sentence, leaving him broken and confused.

Bring me the Avatar and your honor will be restored. A daunting task lay ahead of him, but where would he start. The Air Nomads were extinct, killed off by the armies his grandfather had commanded. What was he going to do? The path he had to walk was a bleak razor's edge. If he took a misstep, if he so much as slipped, all would be lost.

After hours of laying aimlessly, worrying over his future, he sat up and sighed. He was going to worry himself to death at this rate.

"Can't sleep, noble?"

The sound of Xatia's voice startled him, making him jump. Her unusual eyes shining with genuine curiosity in the darkness. He could just make out her outline in the tree, sitting up to face him.

"You're up late."

She laughed softly, "I could say the same thing about you. Sorry to tell you this, but you're camping with an insomniac."

Silence.

"Sheesh, prince. All you ever seem to do is scowl. Don't you ever smile? Or laugh?"

"Not recently," he admitted.

She sighed, "Close your eyes."

"Why-"

"Just close your eyes."

"I don't see-"

"Could you please ignore your royal instinct to disobey everyone except your parents for a few minutes and JUST CLOSE YOUR EYES?!"

He shut his mouth and closed his eyes, hoping she wasn't planning to attack him. The sound of her searching through her bag filled the clearing. Then, the rustling subsided and a hauntingly beautiful music drifted in the air. It sounded vaguely like some sort of flute and yet unlike anything he had ever heard. The music was distinctly a lullaby, slow and calming. Within a few minutes, Zuko slipped into unconsciousness.

That night, he found himself dreaming of an unfamiliar town. It was just past dusk, and a large fire burned in the center of the town. Unfamiliar music echoed through the streets and people danced around the campfire. Lights sparkled from windows and strings holding lanterns draped from building to building. Laughter and talking buzzed through the crowd.

He saw all this through both eyes, as he did in all his dreams, watching from the sidelines. A smiling, beautiful, scarless Xatia came walking towards him from the side. She wore a long dress of forest green with a gold sash tied around her waist and matching shoes. Emerald earrings winked behind her almost black hair.

"What's wrong, stranger. Do you not know how to dance? Or do you just not enjoy parties?" she asked in a friendly tone.

"I've never been to a party like this," he didn't add that he had never danced before.

She smiled, "Come dance with me."

Instead of waiting for an answer, she took hold of his hand and dragged him trough the crowd. When she stopped, she backed away and curtsied. Unsure if this was proper, Zuko bowed in return.

She began a complicated dance, stepping, twirling, swaying. Always looking graceful despite the unorthodox style. He simply watched for a few minutes, completely mesmerized by the motions. Quickly glancing at the other men and boys in the crowd, he tried to mimic their forms.

She laughed, "You've almost got it. Just loosen up a little, you're too stiff."

He looked into her eyes and stopped abruptly. Instead of pupils, the center of her eyes were symbols. The gray one held the three swirling circles of the Air Nomads; the three curved lines that served as the Fire Nation insignia sat in the center of the other. Gold and silver. Fire and Air.

"Don't stop," she blinked and the signs were gone. "You almost had it. Let your body wake up. Wake up, prince."

Something nudged his side, bringing him to reality.

"Wake up, prince. Breakfast time."

His eyes fluttered open to see the normal Xatia standing over him, nudging him gently with her wounded foot.

"What?" he asked sleepily.

"Breakfast time. I woke up at dawn, so I thought I'd do a little hunting."

He sat up, rubbing sleep from his good eye. The fire had been coaxed back to life and now had what looked like a jackelope and some sort of birds roasting on a make-shift spit.

"So, jackelope or bird?"

"Uhmm," he had never had to choose between those two for a meal.

"Well?"

"Jackelope."

"'Kay. Which half do you want?"

"Half?"

She sighed and pointed with her knife, "Legs or chest? There's not much meat on the chest but some people don't like the legs."

"Legs, I guess."

She nodded and cut off the legs of the rabbit while he woke his Uncle.

"What is it?" he yawned.

"Breakfast."

"The choices are jackelope, bird, or bird," she said as she handed Zuko his share. "I know it isn't a royal feast, but I rubbed the meat with a few herbs I found so they're not completely tasteless."

"Any food is a blessing," Uncle smiled as he took off a bird.

Xatia laughed, helping herself to the other bird, "I agree. But watch out for the bones."

He bit into the tender meat, enjoying the new flavor. It was definitely not a royal feast, but it was delicious.

"I'll be taking my leave today," she announced between bites.

"You should stay a little longer. Let your wound heal," Uncle implored.

Her smile turned bitter-sweet, "I think I've worn out my welcome."

"You are welcome as long as you please."

"I should probably go, anyway. But I'll sweep the woods for anything I can use before I go."

"I'll help you."

Both his uncle and Xatia looked at him in surprise. Apparently neither had expected him to offer his help.

"Alright. You'd better not walk like a camelephant, or all the animals will be scared away."

"I'll make sure to walk as softly as possible."

Ten minutes later, he was walking into the woods next to her. Despite her recent injury, she walked with a graceful, quiet gait, barely making a sound as they slipped between the trunks.

"Can I ask you a personal question?" he breathed.

"Only if I can ask one in return," she whispered back.

"Will you answer truthfully?"

"...Yes."

He took a deep breath, "Where did you get your scar?"

She stopped, taken aback by his question.

"That's a pretty long story."

"I'll listen."

She sighed, "It was a solar eclipse when the colony burned to the ground. The neighboring earth kingdom city had gotten sick of the army demanding so much. They decided to attack us that day, knowing our firebending wouldn't work. But the soldiers weren't there; they had left the day before to report back to their general. The earthbenders thought it would be well-suited if we were punished the way they were. We were outnumbered and overpowered, we didn't stand a chance.

"I don't know how exactly the fire was started, I was out looking for my grandmother's cat who had ran away for some reason. When I came back two hours later, the place was an inferno. There was nothing left, no one left, to save. I ran into the flames to check. Instead of my family, I found an Earth Kingdom soldier. He attacked me, chased me. I barely got away alive. I ran out of the ashes of my city and collapsed in the woods.

"When I woke up, I was in the house of an old widow who lived alone. She helped me for a week, until she found out I was a firebender. I've lived in the woods ever since, an outcast everywhere I go. People fear the strange-eyed Firebender girl whose face is marred by a mysterious scar."

"I'm sorry," he whispered, shocked that her story was as devastating as his.

"Don't be. It's in the past, where it belongs. It doesn't do any good to linger over it."

"That doesn't change the fact."

Silence passed between them, until Zuko broke it, "You had a question for me?"

"You don't have to answer if you don't want to."

"Ask."

"Are you going to lose your sight in your left eye?"

He silently sighed in relief that she didn't ask what had happened to his eye.

"Uncle doesn't think so, but it's possible. I just have to hope."

"Hope is good."

"I'm going to need a lot of hope after this."

She looked confused, "For what?"

"I have a difficult task."

"What must you do?"

"Can you keep a secret?"

"Of course."

"I was banished from the palace. I can only return if I bring back the Avatar."

"Oh...you are going to need hope."

He nodded.

"You do know that you could never find him? Are you sure that you should even try? The world needs the Avatar."

"I must find him. I can't face the other option."

She paused, thinking, "Then I wish you luck and happiness, whatever path you take."

"I wish you the same."

In the end, they came back empty-handed. Uncle had packed their bags and doused the fire. Xatia approached him first, bowing with a smile.

"It was an honor to meet you, General Iroh."

"Good luck, Xatia," he bowed in return.

She turned to Zuko, "I would say it was a pleasure to meet you, but it wasn't _that_ good. It was nice to meet you, prince."

"The feeling is mutual."

She grinned, "Is that a joke?"

He didn't say anything.

"I guess that was too much to ask," she sighed. "Farewell, you two."

He and Uncle turned around and began to walk away.

"Wait! Catch."

He turned and just barely caught the scroll she tossed to him.

"Something to remember me by. I hope to meet you again in the future, Zuko."

He glanced down at the scroll, then to Uncle's shrinking shadow, "Hold on, did you just call me-"

He looked up and she was gone. Farther down the path, he saw her faint figure walking away. His attention returned to the scroll. Unrolling it carefully, he exposed a painting of a town amongst hills and forests. On the left side of the sky was the sun, the moon was on the right. Xatia's name was signed in the bottom left corner. He rolled the scroll back up and tucked it into a bag he carried. As he chased after his uncle, he couldn't help thinking of how much the sun and moon looked like her eyes. The strange eyes that he would never forget.


End file.
